Sending money to Nepal (remittance)

Who this is for

Anyone in the US sending money home to family in Nepal — for monthly support, an emergency, a school fee, or a one-off. New arrivals especially: the "cheapest" option is rarely the one with the biggest "$0 fee" banner.

The one principle that saves the most money

Every transfer has two costs:

1. The transfer fee — the up-front charge (often advertised as "$0").
2. The exchange-rate margin — the gap between the real USD→NPR mid-market rate and the rate the service actually gives you. This is the hidden cost, and it's usually bigger than the fee.

Compare the final NPR amount your recipient gets for, say, $500 — across two or three services, on the same day. The one that delivers the most rupees wins, regardless of which one shouted "no fees."

Use UnitedSewa's Forex page to see the day's NRB reference rate before you send, so you can tell a fair rate from a padded one.

How to compare options

There is no single "best" — it shifts with the day's rate, the amount, and how fast you need it.

• Money-transfer providers. Availability, delivery routes, speed, fees, exchange rates, and identity checks are provider-specific, so compare the disclosure for the exact service and payout method before you send.
• Bank wire from your US bank. Useful when you need a bank paper trail; compare the fixed fees, exchange rate, and recipient-bank charges before choosing it.
• Bank deposit, wallet, or cash pickup: treat these as payout methods to compare provider by provider, not guarantees that every service supports them.

How to send safely the first time (steps)

1. Decide the payout method: bank deposit, mobile wallet, or cash pickup — confirm both what your family can receive and what your chosen provider officially supports.
2. Get the recipient's exact details right: full legal name as on their bank/ID, bank + branch or wallet ID. A name mismatch is a leading cause of held/returned transfers.
3. Compare the landed NPR on 2–3 services the same morning (the rate moves during the day).
4. Start small on a new service — send a small first transfer to confirm it arrives before you trust it with a large amount.
5. Keep the confirmation/tracking number; delivery timing is provider-specific and can be slower when identity or recipient details need review.
6. Send larger, less often when you can — splitting one transfer into many small ones usually multiplies the fixed fees.

Staying safe (scam avoidance)

• Use only well-known, regulated services or your own bank. Be wary of an individual in a Facebook group offering a "better rate" if you hand them cash — that's a common scam.
• Never share your login, OTP, or card details with anyone "helping" you send.
• A US money-transfer provider must give you a receipt disclosing the exchange rate, fees, and the amount to be received before you pay, and you generally have a short window to cancel a transfer — read it. (Consumer remittance protections, US CFPB.)